Carpet-cleaning brush

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a carpet-cleaning brush, in particular for cleaning rugs or carpets, which have been soiled by the hair of animals kept in the room. Said brush has bristles ( 3 ) in the form of an angle of arc, a brush body ( 2 ) for receiving said bristles, a brush head ( 1 ) which is fixed thereto and provided with a handle, in addition to a dust-collector head ( 7 ) which preferably contains a suction connection ( 72 ). The invention is characterized in that the brush body ( 2 ) is a rubber plate, pierced by the limbs of elastic, U-shaped metal wire bristles ( 3 ) which are fixed on an inclined plane in the direction of pull of the brush. Said bristles form an angle of 5-15° (α) in relation to the plane, which is perpendicular to the plane of the brush body. The limbs which form part of the U-shaped bristles ( 3 ) are provided with a plastic coating ( 4 ) or similar, at least on the free, protruding ends.

DESCRIPTION

[0001] The invention relates to a carpet-cleaning brush for the cleaningof rugs and carpets which have been soiled by animals kept in the room,the brush body which receives and fixes the metal bristles, as well asthe brush head which is fixed to the body and provided with a connectionfor the handle and a dust-collector with a suction pipe end.

[0002] Many kinds of brushes are known for the removal of hair fallingout from fur animals. Generally known are the cleaning gloves, which canbe put on and are provided with rubber bristles protruding from a rubbersurface by which the lost hair of animals can be collected. However,these gloves are not suitable for the cleaning of carpets because oftheir small size and low efficiency.

[0003] The patent document DE 195 00 008 discloses a brush which isessentially suitable for the removal of the hair of animals anddecreases the necessary display of strength and is provided with ahandle. Bristles of the said brush are made of stiff wire or of plastic.

[0004] Patent Document U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,724 represents a brushsuitable for disinfecting of the fur of animals and for dusting it whichdisinfecting powder. The free end of the bristles of the said brush ismade of wire and bent into the direction of pull. These brushes serveexclusively for the treating of the surface of the skin and the fur ofanimals and thus they are entirely unsuitable for the cleaning ofcarpets.

[0005] Patent Document DD-PS 35.071 presents a brush for a quick removalof pieces of threads and similar particles of dirt from clothes, fabricsand rugs. The bristles of the said brush are made of plastic, have theshape of small hooks and are arranged in a way, that during the processof brushing they form an angle of 90° with the surface to be cleaned.However, said brushes are only seldom used, as they are suitable onlyfor the cleaning of the surface of carpets.

[0006] The presented types of brushes cannot be used for the cleaning ofcarpets because they have no connection for a dust collector, which isnecessary for a larger quantity of dust.

[0007] Patent document DE 41 12 382 discloses a sweeping device arrangedin a housing. The device contains bristle rollers rotated by wheelsrunning on the carpet. The bristles arranged on the rollers are bent inthe operating direction and in the consequence of rolling they clean thesurface of the carpets whereas the dust particles are sprinkled into acontainer arranged in the housing. Their disadvantage is that thebristles cannot pick up the very short particles of dirt entwining thefibers of the carpet, the hair of animals trampled into the carpet.

[0008] Finally it should be mentioned that for the cleaning of carpetsthere are also used brushes fitted to the suction head of vacuumcleaners.

[0009] The said patent document DE 41 12 382 also describes a rollersweeping devices, which can be fitted to a vacuum cleaner. Very smallparticles of threads sticking between the bristles are removed in theupper part of the housing through the suction effect of the cleaner.

[0010] Vacuum cleaners of commercial design are provided with carpetbrushes the bristles of which encircle the suction opening of thesuction head. To spare the carpet, these bristles are usually made ofhorsehair or similar materials. Dirt is being removed also in the upperpart of the brush.

[0011] The disadvantage of the said solution consists in that thesuction surface encircled by the bristles does not separate theaccumulated dust and pieces of hair so that when the suction head of thecleaner is being pulled onwards on the carpet they get the suction pipeof the cleaner choked within a short time.

[0012] Aim of the invention is to develop such a carpet-cleaning brush,which removes the dust out of the carpet and from the surface of itefficiently, rapidly and reliably.

[0013] According to the above, the invention relates to acarpet-cleaning brush preferably for cleaning rugs and carpets soiled bythe hair of animals kept in the room containing bristles bent in theshape of an angle or an arc in the direction of pull of the brush, abrush body receiving said bristles, a brush head fixed on the brush bodyand provided with a handle as well as a connection for thedust-collector.

[0014] The essence of the invention consists in that on the longitudinalside of the brush head in the direction of pull of the brush on thebrush body receiving the bristles there is a housing narrowing in thedirection of pull with a limited open mouth provided with a connectionfor the dust collector and the interior surfaces of the housingbordering the mouth on its longitudinal side are designed as adust-feeding shovel.

[0015] According to the invention it is advantageous if the textilebrush is coated with a velvet like textile fabric whose fibers arearranged slantwise in relation to the direction of pull of the brush.This brush is located on the surface of the brush head opposite to thebrush body.

[0016] The use of the carpet-cleaning brush is made easier if on bothshorter sides of the brush body connection elements are provided thehandle. The handle is connected to the said fixing elements. In relationto the plane of the brush head the handle forms an angle of 30-45° inthe direction of pull of the brush. The carpet-cleaning brush accordingto the invention is extraordinarily efficient if the narrowing end ofthe funnel shaped housing of the dust-collector on the brush head isprovided with a suction pipe end whereas the lower exterior surface isprovided with at least one supporting wheel.

[0017] The carpet-cleaning brush according to the invention is equippedwith such bristles, which pick up from the carpet even the hair trampledinto the carpet up to the basing of knotting and at the sane time loosenthe particles of dust. The spring force of the elastic bristles sweepsthe particles of dust through the dust-feeding shovel into theconnection of the dust-collector, whereas the veil like texture of haircan easily be removed from the bristles by hand.

[0018] By simply pulling the carpet-cleaning brush along on the carpeteven the smallest pieces of hair and particles of dust can be removedfrom the carpet.

[0019] The invention makes also possible to separate the particles ofdust from the hair of animals by means of a vacuum cleaner. The veillike texture of hair is being fixed by the bristles pierced slantwisethrough the brush head, whereas the particles of dust are whirled alongby the suction through the mouth onto the dust-feeding shovel and fromthere into the dust bag of the vacuum cleaner. The veil like texture ofhair can be entirely removed from the bristles by hand. Owing to theseparation of the dust from the hair the suction pipe of the vacuumcleaner never gets choked, as no hair of animals can get into it.

[0020] The detailed description of the invention is following on thebase of the attached drawings.

[0021]FIG. 1 is the perspective, partly split, picture of thecarpet-cleaning brush according to the invention,

[0022]FIG. 2 is the perspective picture of the carpet-cleaning brushaccording to another embodiment, whose brush head is made as a textilebrush of textile cloth,

[0023]FIG. 3 represents the perspective picture of the brush accordingto FIG. 2 after having been turned.

[0024]FIG. 4 is the perspective view of a carpet-cleaning brushaccording to the invention, which can be connected to the suction sideof a vacuum cleaner.

[0025] The embodiment of the carpet-cleaning brush presented in FIG. 1basically consists of a brush 10 and the pipe end of the dust collector7 integrated with it.

[0026] The brush 10 contains the brush head 1, the brush body 2connected with it, in which the bristles 3 are arranged by piercing. Thebrush head 1 is produced of wood, plastic or similar material, whereasthe brush body 2 is made of a rubber plate or a similar elasticmaterial. The protruding bristles 3 are made of metal wire as U-shapedlimbs. The elastic U-shaped bristles 3 of metal wire are fixed on aninclined plane in the direction of arrow 5 indicating the pull of thebrush. Said bristles 3 form an angle of 5-15° (α) in relation to theplane, which is perpendicular to the plane of the brush body 2. Bristles3 protruding through the brush head of a rubber plate are bent in theform of an angle or an arc also in the direction of pull marked by arrow5. Bristles 3 are coated with plastic or a similar material 4 at leaston their free end. The U-shaped metal wire bristles 3 are arranged inthe brush body 2 of rubber plate in longitudinally parallel rows in adistance u from each other between the U-shaped limbs. The rows ofbristles are displaced in relation to each other. They are fixed bypiercing through brush body 2.

[0027] The pipe end 7 of the dust collectors is bordered by the housing70 narrowed in the direction of pull marked by arrow 5. The pipe end 7of the dust collector having a mouth 71 open in the direction of thebristles 3 is connected with brush head 1 and brush body 2 keeping thebristles in the direction 5 of pull of the brush. The interior surfaceof the housing 70 bordering the mouth 71 on the long side is designed asa dust-feeding shovel 74.

[0028] Both shorter sides of the brush head 1 are provided with aconnecting part 6 receiving the cylindrical ends of the generally usedhandle 9 forming with the plane of the brush head 1 an angle of 30-45°.The fork of the handle can be fixed in the support 90 and released bysnapping.

[0029] The brush corresponding to the above-described invention shall beequipped with the handle 9 prior to use. Said hand shall be snapped intothe support 90 arranged on the short side of the brush head. Afterhaving been snapped into said supports 90 handle 9 has to be screwed in.The ready for use carpet-cleaning brush has to be pulled on the surfaceof the soiled carpet in the direction of arrow 5. The bristles 3 made ofan elastic material protrude deeply into the carpet between the knottedfibers and here together with the dust they also pick up the hair ofanimals removing them in the form of a veil like texture, whereas theparticles of dust are swept by the spring force of bristles 3 throughthe dust-feeding shovel 74 into the pipe end 7 of the dust collector andare removed from there by releasing the connecting parts 73 between thebrush head 2 and the pipe end 7 of the dust collector. The texture ofhair delivered from the dust must be from time to time removed from thebristles 3 by hand.

[0030] The embodiments of the carpet-cleaning brush according to FIG. 2and 3 differ from the embodiment described above in that the uppersurface of brush head 1 opposite to the brush body 2 is provided with anelastic pad—rubber or sponge—coated with a velvet like cloth 80, therigid fibers of which are inclined in the direction of pull of the brushindicated by arrow 5, constituting a textile brush 8. This embodiment ofthe invention principally consists of two brush surfaces—one is aspringy fixed brush 10 with metal bristles 3 coated with plastic, andthe other is a textile brush 8 on an elastic pad. The brush surface youwant to use must just be put on the surface of the carpet.

[0031] The double carpet-cleaning brush described above prior to usemust be fitted with the handle 9 according to FIGS. 2 and 3. After theuse according to the embodiment described earlier, the hair and dustparticles still sticking to the surface of the brush must be removed inthe following way. Support 90 belonging to the handle 9 according toFIG. 2 must be released from the connection 6 and then thecarpet-cleaning brush must be turned into the position according to FIG.3. And now the textile brush 8 contacts the surface of the carpet. Thenthe support 90 shall be snapped into the connection 6 and the carpet canbe cleaned by pulling the carpet-cleaning brush along on the surface ofthe carpet. Hair and particles of dust remain sticking to the surface ofthe textile brush 8 and can be easily removed from there.

[0032] In case of less soiled carpets you can just clean the carpet withthe textile brush 8 assembled according to FIG. 3 and then remove thesmall curled rolls of hair by means of the carpet-cleaning brush withwire bristles 3 coated with plastic.

[0033] A further embodiment of the invention is presented in FIG. 4.With this embodiment the carpet cleaning brush is equipped with a pipeend 7 for the vacuum cleaner on the suction side of latter not presentedin the FIG. 4.

[0034] Finally to make easier moving of the carpet-cleaning brush withsaid embodiment the lower exterior surface of the housing 70 is providedwith the supporting wheels 75 (FIG. 4).

[0035] The carpet-cleaning brush according to FIG. 4 is preferably usedso that by means of the suction pipe end 72 the brush is connected tothe dust collector pipe end 7 of a vacuum cleaner not indicated in FIG.4. After the start of the vacuum cleaner when the carpet-cleaning brushis being pulled on the surface of the carpet in the direction accordingto arrow 5 the bristles pick up the hair between the knotted fibers ofthe carpet and remove them, whereas the vacuum-cleaner transfers thedust particles swept onto the dust-feeding shovel into the dust bag ofthe vacuum cleaner which is not represented in FIG. 4. Consequently,during the operation of the carpet-cleaning brush bristles 3 retain theveil like texture created by the hair, whereas under the suction effectof the vacuum cleaner the dust is being transferred into the dust bag.Thus the veil like texture created by the pieces of hair cannot get intothe vacuum cleaner and so choking of the suction pipe is impossible.After the cleaning of the carpet the said texture can be easily removedfrom the bristles by hand, without any tool.

[0036] The great advantage of the carpet-cleaning brush according to theinvention consists in that by means of it carpets soiled by dust andhair of animals can be easily, quickly and efficiently cleaned with aminimal display of strength.

What is claimed is:
 1. Carpet-cleaning brush in particular for thecleaning of rugs and carpets soiled by animals kept in the room whichcontains the bristles (3) bent in the shape of an angle or an arc in thedirection of pull (arrow 5) of the brush, a brush body (2) receiving thebristles (3), a brush head fitted to the latter and provided with ahandle (9), as well as a suction pipe end (7), characterized in that tothe long side of the brush head (1) in the direction of pull of thebrush (arrow 5) and the brush body (2) receiving the bristles (3) a dustcollector pipe end (7) is connected whose housing (70) is narrowing inthe direction of pull of the brush (arrow 5) and is provided with anopen mouth (71), the longitudinal bordering interior surface of which isformed as a dust-feeding shovel (74).
 2. Carpet-cleaning brush accordingto claim 1 characterized in that the upper surface of the brush head (1)opposite to the brush body (2) is designed as a textile brush (8) coatedwith a velvet like textile fabric (80) on an elastic pad the fibers ofwhich are arranged slantwise in the direction of pull of the brush(arrow 5).
 3. Carpet-cleaning brush according to claim 1 in that thebrush head (1) is provided with a connecting element (6) for the handle(9) on both of its short sides and that to these elements by means of areleasable joint the handle (9) is connected inclined in the directionof pull forming an angle of 30-45° with the plane of the brush head (1).4. Carpet-cleaning brush according to claim 1 characterized in that thenarrowing end of the funnel like housing (70) of the dust collector pipeend (7) joint with the brush head (1) is provided with a suction pipeend whereas its lower exterior surface is equipped with a supportingwheel (75).